Chidambaram opens Mumbai's NSG hub

Mumbai, Jul 1: The Union home minister P Chidambaram inaugurated the Mumbai hub for the National Security Guard (NSG) at the Police Training Centre in Kalina on Tuesday, Jun 30.

The home minister said, "The first to respond to a terror attack in Mumbai would be the police. It is only after the cops exhaust all options will they be ableto seek assistance from NSG commandos."

Chidambaram unfolded the NGS flag in the presence of several senior IPS officers, representatives from the army, navy and air force. He also said, he had fulfilled his promise in Mumbai. "I had promised to set up an NSG hub here by July 1. I have kept my word. Mumbaikars can feel safe," he said, adding he would be inaugurating three more hubs at Chennai, Hyderabad and Kolkata on Wednesday, Jul 1.

Chidambaram also added that NSG is an elite force for countering terror attacks and anti-hijack operation and would have 250 commandos in Mumbai who would be able to respond within minutes.

Chidambaram said the NSG unit in Mumbai would respond immediately to a call from the state authorities. "If the police and its commando forces fail, the NSG will come to the rescue," he said.